


What if?

by JoyBooth



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-01-18 21:29:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 16,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12396603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoyBooth/pseuds/JoyBooth
Summary: A series of What ifs?





	1. What if I didn't play baseball?

He was laying face down on the exam table in the Training room when she came in sat on the floor by his head. 

“What if I didn't play ball?”

“What?” The non sequitur throws him for a loop when all he wants is for the pain to stop radiating in his knee. 

“When I was talking to the shrink, and she made me ask the question. What if I don’t want to play anymore?”

He knew she had been seeing a shrink, but the question still came as a bit of a shock. “I don’t know, Baker. That’s kinda up to you. What would you do?”

“Ugh, that’s the problem, isn't it? I never done anything other than baseball. I barely lived. I didn’t want this life. My dad just pushed me into his dream and now it’s all I know how to do.”

“That’s not really fair…”

“You weren’t there. You don’t know. Anytime I tried to do something else, he would say, ‘Girl, you gotta choose this or the game.”

“And every time you choose this,” he pointed out. She scowled, but he kept talking. “Do you know how many parents want their little leaguer to make it to the show? A lot! If a pushy parent was enough, our league would be twice as big, but It’s not. Your dad gave you the tools, but you did the work. You showed up. You were the one sweating and bleeding and working through the pain and the set backs and the million people telling you that you didn’t belong. You are the first one in the gym every morning. Not because you need to be, but because you want to be. You want to play. You want to win. No one can make you do something you don’t want to do. I, more than anyone, know that. I mean you’ve shaken me off more in one game than some pitchers have in their entire career.”

“Hey, I have been getting better about that,” she whined. 

He grinned. “I know. Only twice today, it’s a new record!” 

She threw a towel at him. He caught it without missing a beat. "Maybe you could switch to the WNBA.”

“I think I am about 6 inches too short for that.”

“Never stopped you before, and we all know you have mad dunk skills.”

Ginny just rolled her eyes. 

“You know the off season is coming,” he commented more seriously. “Even if you decide to continue your career in MLB you will still need a phase 2. Now is as good a time as any to start looking at options. You know Evelyn has Blip investing his money in commercial properties and the restaurant. Hills is a silent partner in a production company. I am going to be on Fox soon, and Miller, believe it or not, is going to be a stay at home dad when the time comes to hang up his cleats.” 

Ginny chewed her lip. She hated to idea of him retiring. So, she pushed it away. The good thing was, he was taking her seriously. He wasn’t brushing her off. He wasn’t trying to talk her into or out of anything, but a job after baseball was just part of what she was wondering about. Meanwhile, Mike was still listing her options. 

“Or you could coach like Cy Young. Or use all that Nike money and buy yourself a minor’s team like Nolan Ryan.or…”

“Um, while I appreciate the the info, you don’t have to list the history of every major player’s phase 2,” she teased. 

“You did kinda ask.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “What about you, I know you are planning to be one of those talking heads we make fun of, but what else. Do you think you and Rachel will make another go of it?”

Mike sat up on the table shift the towel to keep himself covered and grinning when Ginny averted her eyes and blushed. “Rach and I, that was… complicated. Maybe if things had been different. If I had been different…”

“Don’t do that. Don’t just take the blame like that. It takes two to tango.” Ginny interrupted. 

“Or three sometimes…” he grumbled. “But the point is we were both holding onto something that we should have let go of a long time ago. We want different things. So she and I are officially done.”

“You sure?” 

“I’m sure.”

For a minute they just looked at each other, trying to figure out what to say next. Finally, she looked away. 

“I guess I have time to think about it.”

“You do.”

“Thanks for listening.”

“Anytime, Baker.” He shifted back to his previous position and she heaved herself of the floor to go bug Livan.


	2. What if Jurassic Park were real?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Jurassic Park could be a metaphor which ends up with Mike taking Ginny to California Adventure.

“What if there was a real Jurassic Park?” Ginny asked as she flopped into the bus seat next to him. 

“What?”

“I was watching TV last night and the original Jurassic Park was on, well actually it was a marathon of like all the Jurassic movies, but I had never seen it, so I started watching. Cut to two am and Chris Pratt is running around trying to escape a monster they made yet again and I was just thinking, What kind of idiot doesn’t learn the first time around?”

“You had never seen Jurassic Park before?” Mike asked, clearly dumbfounded.

Ginny shook her head. “Not the point old man.”

Mike looked at her sideways.

“No, I was busy. You know practice and batting practice and drills and workouts didn’t leave a lot of downtime. Anyway, the point is, wouldn’t you think those idiot scientist would have learned to stop messing with nature by now?”

“But it’s not much of a movie without the dinosaurs.”

“Sure, but like Jeff Goldblum knows what he is signing up for in Lost World. He just goes for it knowing that it is going to be scary and painful and he and everyone with him could die. Who does that?”

Mike blew a bubble with the gum he had been chewing as he thought about what she had said and not really said. “I guess the thing is some people just want the adventure. You know they just hope it will be different this time.”

“But would you do it? Knowing how dangerous and scary it was? Would you go knowing it could end in disaster?”

“I don’t know. I mean I like theme parks.”

“Really?”

“I have season passes to Disneyland, California adventure, Magic mountain, and universal studios.”

“Wow, I did not know that about you.”

“I try to keep it quiet, so it doesn’t ruin my rep.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. 

“You know what makes the best trips though?”

“Having a work schedule that means you can go on days when the lines are short?”

Mike laughed. “Yeah, that is a perk, but the best trips are great because of who you take with you. A good partner in crime makes a good day great and a not so good day at least bearable.”

“Yeah, I guess I get that.”

“Good, now lets talk about what other classic films you missed in your childhood. Please tell me you’ve seen E.T.?”

“Is that the one where the Alien explodes out of the person’s body? Because that sounds too gross.” 

“Oh, Rookie, we have so much work to do. Let me get my iPad.”


	3. What if I played first base?

“What if I played first base?” Mike asked as soon as she answered the phone.

“Is this about Oscar signing Livan Duarte?”

“Obviously, but you know the docs and Kiki have been on me for a while too. Playing first would let me play longer.”

“Is that what you want? To play longer?”

“Of course,” he chuckled sadly. “Did you know it was my dad who said I should play catcher? Before that I played first base.”

“Your dad? You never talk about him. Come to think of it, you never talk about your mom either.”

“Yeah, well… my mom is my mom. If she doesn’t need money, I don’t hear from her. Since I quit giving her money about 5 years ago, she doesn’t come around.”

“I’m sorry, Lawson. That sucks.”

“Nah, I’m over it. She did what she could, which was more than I can say for my ‘dad’.”

“He’s not around either?” She guessed. 

“It’s a long story, or maybe not. He had an affair with a hot young thing. She got pregnant. He paid her to disappear. Then, when I was 10 we moved back. He was my little league coach, but I didn’t know who he really was. He seemed like a great guy. He was always giving me little tips, acting like he actually cared. But then one day I found out my mom was just trying to get more money out of him. If I’m being honest, I don’t even really blame him for just giving her the cash. I did the same thing for a long time. It’s just..”

Ginny waited a minute, but nothing came. “What if things had been different?” She offered. 

“Yeah. What if… what if he had taken me in? What if she had just gotten a job like a normal person? What if he had left his wife?”

“Do you think they would have been happy?”

“Hell no!” 

“Ok, but you deserved better.”

“What if I didn’t?”

“You did! You still do!”

“Thanks.” He mumbled still not quite believing it. 

“Mike, you deserve the best. You have worked hard your whole life, and you deserve to finally get what you want. Don’t let them push you to first if that’s not what you want. Just make sure you are doing what’s right for you.”

It was quiet again to the point where Ginny looked at her phone to see if she had accidentally muted it. “You still there?” She finally asked. 

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

“Good, well, I wanted to tell you that I finally read Catcher in the Rye, and I’m sorry, but I just didn’t like it.”

“This is outrageous, Baker. Catcher in the Rye is a classic. Explain to me in detail what you don’t like so I can set you straight.”

“Well, for starters, it has nothing to do with baseball.”

Mike laughed. The last of his tense muscles relaxed as he listened to her go on about Holden Caulfield’s many flaws.


	4. What if I was traded?

“What if I was traded?” He asked when she sat down beside him on the bench. 

“You have a no trade clause.” Sure the rumors had been going around, but she didn't actually believe them. He was practically the Mayor of San Diego. He wouldn't just leave. He couldn't. 

“What if I wanted to be traded?” He tried again.

“Why?” She honestly couldn’t understand what he was thinking.

“Maybe there is some stuff going on. You know, it’s just Oscar and my agent and the talking heads talking.”

“Do you want to go?”

“I don’t want to be where I’m not wanted or appreciated.”

“We appreciate you. The team would be lost without you.”

“Nah, I’ve been around longer than you, Baker. I’ve seen several captains come and go. Most better than me."

“I’m not buying it. I mean if you want to go you should, but you know what we have is special. I mean, this team is special. We could go places.”

“Aww, Baker, are you saying you would be lost without me?”

“I don’t know about lost, and I’ll deny it if you ever bring this up again, but I wouldn’t be here without you. Maybe it was the long winded speech, or maybe it was just you believing in me, but I wouldn’t have gotten through that second game without you.”

“But I could still give you great speeches, even if I was gone.”

“Not on the field…”

“True, but with Li-van here, I am looking at first base anyway.”

“And you don’t want that?”

“I still don’t know, but I hate not being given the choice.”

“I understand.”

“You do?”

Ginny scoffed. “Uh, yeah, do you know how many times they tried to push me into softball? I mean, softball is great for some people, but I am a baseball player.”

“Damn right you are!”

“And you are a catcher.”

“Best one you’ve ever seen.”

“Keep telling yourself that old man.”

“Dammit Baker, you spend 10 minutes building me up and then the minute I feel like myself again, you gotta be sassy.”

“It’s all part of the package. I gotta make sure that head of your’s still fits in the stadium.”

“Unlike the poster that monopolizes your wall.”

“There is no poster!”

“Sure, keep telling yourself that, but I had Janet send me a picture,” he said waving his phone in her face. Ginny tried to snatch it, but he held it out of her reach. 

“I hate you,” she grumbled, as she slumped onto bench again. 

“I don’t believe you,” he grinned.   
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To some degree this is becoming AU but with most of the major events happening in the same-ish way. Thanks for coming along with me. I have about 15 what ifs written now, but there will be some time jobs, and if you have an idea you want to see be sure to drop me a comment.


	5. What if we could go back in time?

“What if we could go back in time?” She asked when he walked into the gym the next morning. 

“Do you want to?” He asked, deflecting the question deftly. 

“I don’t know on one hand like keeping Hitler’s from being born would be good, but maybe someone worse would come along you know.”

Mike shoulder slumped. He was slightly too hungover for complex metaphors. “Baker, you are aware it is eight am right.”

She gave a stuttered nod.

“And we were both up drinking, together, rather late last night?”

Again she nodded. 

“So can we just…”

“Skip the workout and hit the café for bloody Mary’s and soft pretzels?” She offered. 

“Yes! God, yes. Let’s do that!” He groaned. He didn’t think he had heard a better plan in his life. They didn’t speak again until she had finished her pretzel and he had finished his coffee.

“So, are we talking kill baby hitler, or just keep his parents from hooking up?” He asked finally. 

“I guess keep his parents from hooking up, but God, this is just weird to think about. Like, you are going a long on this path and one choice, one moment, just completely changes everything. Maybe that’s why I could never get through the Time Machine, or Looper, or Terminator.” 

“I am going to leave that alone for right now, but you should know we will be watching Terminator on the bus the LA next week, even if I have to tape your eyes open.”

Ginny laughed. She had actually seen it multiple times, but sometimes he was just too easy,

“What I will say is this, I think things happen for a reason. Maybe we wish things could be different, but it’s just not the right time. Maybe someday…” 

“Maybe someday…” 

“Maybe someday what, Mami?” Livan asked as he pushed into her side of the booth and snatched a piece of her second pretzel. 

“Maybe someday I’ll be able to enjoy something without fear of some vulture trying to snatch it from me,” she grumbled.

“Maybe, but today is not that day, Chicka. Are we going over hitters, or what?” Mike gave a wave as he left them to it. He could always talk to her later.


	6. What if I don't get better?

“What if I don’t get better?” 

He had thought she was sleeping, but clearly he was wrong. Rather than continue to lurk in the doorway like a creep, he went into the hospital room and sat down. “Is that what the Doc said?”

“Scans were inconclusive. Hence the exploratory surgery.” She mumbled, picking imaginary lint from her blanket with the arm not tied to her chest. 

“Well, you’ve already been through this right? You had to think about not playing before.”

“No, I had to think about if I wanted to play, not if I could, or really if I couldn’t.” 

“Well, you’re young Baker. Lots of people are still figuring it out at your age,” he offered, though he knew it wasn’t the same. He knew the pain of your body just failing you. No amount of sweat, or grit, or drive could make something work that just didn’t anymore.

When he looked back he could tell she was fight tears. 

“Did you call your mom? Or Will? Or someone?” 

“I told her not to come. Nothing she could do anyway.”

“She could just be here with you. She could understand.”

Ginny scoffed. “Not likely. She was already saying maybe it was for the best. Now my life could be more than baseball. Maybe I could move home and go back to school.”

“Is that what you want?”

“God no,” she whimpered, biting her lip. “I want to play. I want a ring. A World Series Ring, not just a wedding ring. I want to do the only thing I have ever been good at.”

“You will.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Sometimes you just have to have faith.” He said as he squeezed her good hand.”

“But I don’t, Mike. I don’t have faith anymore. I just hurt.”

“I know.” He didn’t let go and she didn’t pull away. 

“Does it get better?”

“Sometimes, and sometimes you just learn to live with it,” he answered honestly. 

“How?”

“With help from friends.”


	7. What if everything tasted like cilantro?

“What if everything tasted like cilantro?”

“I would die of stravation.” 

“Yeah, but you wouldn’t be so desperate to eat then…” he reminded her. 

“I just want something to eat, Lawson. Is that so wrong?”

“It is when you are going in for surgery and they don’t want you eating anything.”

“I hate you.”

“You don’t.”

“I do. And you know what? I hate this hospital and these doctors and that nurse who woke me up like 85 times last night and all these people around here eating when I can’t even have a damn protein shake.” 

“Man, I knew you got grumpy when you were hungry, but this is some next level attitude, Baker. I am about to just head home and let you starve here by yourself.” The minute the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. She sank in on herself and cut off eye contact. 

“You don’t have to stay,” she mumbled. 

“Ginny,” he reached out for her hand again and squeezed. “I was teasing. Really. I guess sleeping in this pile of shit they call a pull out hasn’t left me in the best mood either, but I’m not leaving unless you want me to.”

Ginny didn’t say anything for a moment, but the she relaxed a little. “I guess you’re right, if everything tasted like cilantro, I would be fine on this stupid liquid diet.”

“That’s a girl. Just imagine everything tasting like cilantro and when you wake up and get the ok from the doctors, I will bring you all the in and out you can eat.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”


	8. What if I wanted to be Han Solo?

“What if I wanted to be Han Solo?” She asked as she lay on the deck chair beside him.

“I think that job is taken, but if you can dethrone Harris Ford, more power to you.”

She leaned up on her good elbow and pushed down her sunglasses to glare at him eye to eye. “For Halloween, doofus.”

“Uh, I guess I could drive you to the costume shop?” He shrugged. 

“Marcus and Gabe want to go as a group, but they were leaning toward Finn and Kylo, and while Leia is great I’ve always been more of a Han girl.”

“I bet,” he winked. She threw a towel at him. “Ok, what are the other front runners?”

“You know, power rangers, avengers, justice league, or maybe minions.”

“Solid options, except minions, I just don’t get them.”

“Right, that’s why you ended up watching the whole movie even after the boys fell asleep the other night?”

“Well, I had to know how it ended. And Sandra bullock is in it. Hello, Oscar winners don’t make terrible movies.”

“All about Steve?”

“Alright, point made. Minions are kinda funny, but this is why I hate talking to you.”

“No you don’t.”

“I don’t.” He sighed. Life would be a lot easier if did. For starters, he wouldn't have a months supply of grape soda in his fridge.

“So, be our Leia?”

“How about I go as an x wing fighter.”

“Fine, I guess,” she flopped gently back into her chair.

“Wait a minute, who said I was going trick or treating with you?”

“You did. Just now.” She grinned. Mike sighed and used his phone to start looking for a costume shop nearby.


	9. What if I burn the Turkey?

“What if I burn the turkey?” She asked as soon as he answered the phone.

He rubbed his eyes and looked at the screen. “It’s 2 am, Baker.”

“I know, but you did all the hard work to prep everything so I could make a real Thanksgiving dinner in my new place for my mom and… Kevin. What if I ruin it?”

“All you have to do is put the turkey in the oven and baste every hour. You can to it.”

“But then there is the stuffing and the sweet potatoes and the rolls and the 3 casseroles…”

“All you have to do is put them in the oven. I made it as easy as possible.”

“But I just… you know how I get with my mom. I’m going to forget something or burn something. And then she gonna be all, 'oh, Ginny...' ' at least you tried...' and I am going to lose it. I just know it.”

“Remember three hours ago when I finished all the prep work and you swore you wouldn’t need me? In fact, what was it you said? I got this Cap? Go enjoy all the beer you can drink and all the football you can watch?”

“I know, but…”

“But now it’s 2 am, and you aren’t so sure, and you’d like me to come be a buffer for you and your mom and also cook all the food?”

“Hey, I’ll help! I was an excellent souls-chef today.”

“Gin, you burned water and tried to put cottage cheese in the mac and cheese.”

“That is a common mistake!”

“I will be there at 8. Meet me at the door with the biggest cup of coffee you have.”

“Deal!”

“Also, you are in charge of setting the table and doing the dishes.”

“Shit!”

“You forgot to pick up the new dishes you ordered, didn’t you?”

“No chance we can use paper?”

“I’ll bring plates. Do you have silverware and a carving set?”

“Of course I have silverware…”

“Ok, I’ll bring my carving set too.”

“See you in the morning!” She cheered.

“See you in the morning.” He sighed, setting his alarm and rolling over to get a little more sleep. If he fell asleep with a smile on his face, well no one was there to see it, so who would tell?


	10. What if Santa were real?

“What if Santa were real?”

“I would have gotten that furby I wanted when I was 8.” She answered. It was weird that he had called right as she was looking at the poster of him that still hung over her bed. It was almost like he knew. 

“You make me feel so old sometimes, Baker.”

She laughed, imagining him rubbing that monster on his face. “Sure, but what did you ask Santa for when you were a kid. Jacks? Marbles? A hoop and stick?” 

Mike glared at her, though, she couldn’t tell over the phone. 

Or maybe she could. “What if Santa were real, like if he existed at some point, or he really went to everyone’s house?” She asked turning back to the original question. "Because I would think in this day and age he would just use drones like amazon."

“I don’t know. I’m just looking around this house and thinking about all the Christmases I’ve spent alone, and I just thought how sad it is for people who wake up without any surprise. When I was young my mom always tried to make Christmas special. She did her best. Sometimes her best was a pack of baseball cards and pancakes, but she tried, you know.”

“I’m sure she did.” 

“One year she actually got me a snowboard.”

“Cool!”

“It probably would have been if we didn’t live in Southern California.” 

“Oh, yeah.”

“She had heard a friend over talking about going to big bear with his family, and she planned this whole trip and everything, but then she got called into work, and it just never happened.”

“What’d you do with the snowboard?” 

“Pawned it to buy some used catchers pads. Mine were way too small and practically falling apart at that point.” 

“Turned out ok then?” She asked, not sure what else to say. 

“Yeah, it was alright.” 

“But sometimes you still think about what the trip would have been like?”

“Every year.” He admitted.

“You could come to Carolina? We couldn’t go snowboarding, but we have a brewery now, and we could drive to Norfolk or Myrtle beach.” 

“Naw, I don’t want to crowd in on your family time. I was just thinking and missing that girl that usually hangs out around here.” 

“That girl will be back after Christmas. You got plans for New Years?”

“There is a party at Evers place.” 

“Ok…” 

“But I don’t have to go. You got an idea?”

“Yeah, but it’s a surprise, so you’ll have to wait. Just don’t make other plans.”

“You got it, rookie.”

“Are you going to be ok?” She asked, seriously considering booking a flight back. 

“Yeah, Baker, I’m good. See you next week.” 

“Alright then, see you next week.”

“Hey, Baker?”

“Yeah?”

“Just, thanks, for always answering.”

“Anytime!”

Three days later Mike was woken by the sound of his doorbell. He groaned, rubbed his eyes and checked the clock. Who in the hell was ringing his doorbell at 8 am Christmas morning? He wondered. It took him a minute to get to the door, but when he did he was surprised to find a delivery person. 

“Mike Lawson?”

“Yeah?”

“Sign here?” The boy mumbled pushing a pen and clipboard into his hand as he pushed a huge box in the door.  
“I didn’t order this.”

“Maybe it’s a Christmas present,” the boy shrugged as he took back the clipboard. “Merry Christmas!”

“Yeah, Merry Christmas to you too.” He mumbled. Once the door was shut, he just stared at the mystery box for a minute. Then he heard his phone ringing. Unfortunately, he had left it by his bed. He left the box in the hall, and ran for his phone, knowing exactly who it was. 

“What do you think? Did I surprise you?” She asked. He could hear her grinning through the phone.

“How did you even know?”

“Delivery confirmation. It’s the 21st century, old man. So what did you think?”

“I didn’t open it,” he admitted now kicking himself for not immediately tearing into the mystery package. 

“Well, hurry up. Will’s going to be here any minute, and I get to go open my presents.”

“Speaking of which, your mom has a little something for you from me.”

“Really?” She asked excitedly.

“Yes, really. You didn’t think I had forgotten you, did you?”

“Well… nevermind, you are distracting me. Go open your box.”

“Bossy!” He teased, already headed back to the entry way. 

“I’m excited, and there is nothing wrong with being bossy.”

“Of course not.” He agreed, at least he didn’t ming her being bossy, most of the time. 

She heard the rip of tape being pulled off, and held her breath. 

“Gin, what is this?”

“We are going to Big Bear for New Years!” She cheered. Inside the box on the very top was a stocking with several packets of baseball cards, enough candy to make the easter bunny swear and some pancake mix. Under that was brand new snow gear in his size and a pair of board boots.

“You get a new board in the package too, but I thought you might want to pick one out there, so…”

“Ginny, this is too much,” he whispered.

“Well, if you want to go with someone else, that’s ok too. I just thought it would be…”

“No, I want to go with you. I only want to go with you, it’s just this must have cost you a fortune. Can you afford it?”

She sighed in relief. “Yes, I can afford it, though I appreciate your concern. If it makes you feel better, the suite was comped. All I have to do is tag in at the resort and post some slope selfies. And I figured you could drive us, so no travel costs.”

“So, we are doing this?”

“Yep, meet me at the airport in 4 days and we are off on our first adventure.”

“Thanks for this.”

“I am actually looking forward to it, but Will just pulled in so I gotta go.”

“Merry Christmas, Baker!”

“Merry Christmas, Lawson!”


	11. What if the radio only played classical music?

“What if the radio only played classical music?” She asked when he turned the music down for the third time. They had been on the road an hour, and she was getting bored. 

“What if the radio only played the sound of a Furby singing Christmas carols?” 

“I said I wouldn’t push the button anymore. Quit being such a baby.”

“I am not being a baby, and now I know why your parents didn’t let you get the Furby when you first asked.”

“You bought it!”

“I thought it would be special.”

“And it is. Aren’t you May-May?” She laughed pulling the furby from between them and stroking it’s beak. Immediately the thing yawned and then started to sing. Da do dee da dee da dee do da…

“I swear to god, Baker. I will pull this car over and take the batteries out of that thing.” 

“Sorry, I’m sorry. She’s just excited for the big trip.”

Mike rolled his eyes. 

“How much longer?”

“Baker, you know it is going to take a few hours. You planned this trip remember?”

“I know, but I’ve been on a plane all night and I bored and all you have is old man cds. Who even listens to cds anymore.”

“We will stop for lunch in a bit. Just put on that Eagles CD.”

“How old are you?”

“The Eagles are classic. Everyone knows Hotel California.”

Ginny just signed and switched the cd. Half way through the first song she was singing along. 

“See, classic.”

“Yeah, yeah, just don’t tell Butch.”

“Deal.”

“And I get to pick the next cd.”

“Fair enough.”

When they got back in after lunch he mentioned that, of course, his SUV had Bluetooth if she wanted to play something. She smacked his arm and grumbled about him not mentioning it sooner, but then put on Katy Perry for the tail end of the drive. And honestly, he didn’t even mind. He was having so much fun watching her that he would have put up with Tibetan throat singing.


	12. What if the world was going to end tomorrow?

“What if the world was going to end tomorrow?” She asked as they sipped hot toddies by the fire. They had spent most of their day on the slope, and she was practically half asleep already. 

“Like Y2K or 2012 all over again?”

“I guess, but for real?”

“I don’t know, Baker. I would hope I had spent my time well.”

“But does it even matter? Does what we do even matter?”

“Maybe, maybe not, but what’s that saying? Never forget yesterday, but always live for today, because you never know what tomorrow can bring or what it can take away.” 

“That’s deep, Cap.”

“You’re drunk, rookie.”

“Nah, I’m just tired, and sore and… something…”

“Drunk.”

“Maybe.”

“Time for bed?” He offered reaching to help her up, but she just tucked herself closer to him on the little couch. They were lucky to get such a nice suite on such short notice. He was glad for the privacy, knowing she wouldn’t be able to relax if other people were around. 

“Today was nice,” she mumbled. 

“It was.”

“I wish every day could be like today.”

“I didn’t know you liked boarding that much. Then again I didn’t know you knew how to snowboard before today.”

“I am very athletic…”

“You are,” he agreed. 

“I’m bendy and athletic and I have stamina for days,”she mumbled, playing with buttons on his shirt.

“All good things to know, but you need sleep, Gin. Big day tomorrow.”

“Black diamond!” She cheered, stumbling to her feet. 

“No! Absolutely not, Al would kill me. We just got you put back together, Rook. Spring training is only a month away.”

She slumped back onto the couch, her legs draped over on his, practically in his lap. “That could be my super hero name you know. Black Diamond, because I’m a baseball player, but I’m also dangerous.” She karate chopped him a few times in the arm. He just laughed. 

“You really are.” 

“You’re warm. How are you so warm? I still feel cold, even after like 100 hours in the shower.” 

“Part of the charm I guess,” he shrugged, trying to ignore the way she felt pressed up to him.

“Are you sure you’re not part furnace or something?”

“Pretty sure. Ready for bed now?”

“No, it’s so cold in there. Can’t we just sleep here. Between you and the fire, I think I can thaw out.”

“Ginny,” he whined. “As you so love to point out, I am an old man. I can’t sleep on this couch with you.”

“Then let me sleep in your bed…”

“I don’t think,”

“No funny business, I swear, but I really am cold. Like amputate toes cold. Please, just this once?”

“Fine, just this once, but if you steal all the blankets, I am kicking you back to your own bed. Deal?”

“Deal!” She cheered. Then she set her glass on the end table and ran to his room, throwing herself onto the bed with a gleeful whoop. It took less than a minute for her to fall asleep. Mike, however, lay awake for quite sometime, trying to maintain the appropriate distance between them. Eventually, he gave up. Ginny was like a human octopus when she slept. When he woke in the morning she was sprawled out on his chest. Their legs tangled together.

“Warm enough?” He teased once he knew she was awake. 

“Yes, thank you.” She grinned, making no move to extricate herself. 

“Well, if you want breakfast, you have to get up.” He reminded her. She groaned. 

“Why do you hate me? Why can’t we just lay here? I feel like I haven’t had a good nights sleep since I left San Diego, and we are on vacation.” 

“You are the one signed us up for a private tour of the alpine zoo.”

She slumped onto his chest. “Why do I hate me?”

“You’ll have fun. Remember how cute the flyer was? That baby bear?”

“That baby bear was cute. Do you think we get to play with it?”

“Ginny, it’s a bear.”

“It’s a baby bear.” She said, as if that made all the difference. 

“We won’t know unless you get up.”

“Fine, but if I don’t pet some baby animals, there is going to be hell to pay.”

“Fair enough.” 

She leapt out of bed with more grace than would have been expected of one who had just been trying to go back to sleep, and headed for her own room.


	13. What if I just take her home with me?

“What if I just take her home with me?”

“I think there are laws against that.”

“They might not notice,” she argued as she cuddled the wolf pup. 

“They would notice.” 

“Fine, but isn’t she just the sweetest?”

Mike ran his hand over the little pup’s head. “Very sweet, now. When she is full grown, probably not.”

“You are no fun,” Ginny grumbled. Mike just shook his head.

“You ready to hit the slopes?”

“Yeah, just let me post a selfie.” She snapped a picture of her and the pup and tagged herself in at the Zoo.

“I can’t believe you are actually doing that.”

“I said I would, and now that I don’t have a media person, I do need to be aware of what’s out there.”

“What happened with that? I thought you and Amelia were talking again?”

“We are, but I needed some space. She has agreed to come back at the beginning of the season, and since technically Elliot worked for her, he is helping her with other clients.”

“So, you're on your own?”

“No, If I need something or if she gets contacted for something big we will talk, but it is the off season. I wanted some time off.”

“How is that going?”

“Weird. I’ve never really done this before…”

“Taken time off?”

“Yeah, I was always training or playing in some league. I thought if I just kept pushing something was bound to happen. Now it has, and I just…”

“Don’t love it as much as you thought you did?”

“Kind of. I just want more, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Ginny shook herself and set the pup back down to join its brothers and sisters. “I guess we should get a move on.”

“No rush, Baker. Take your time. If you’re happy here, I’m happy.”

“You sure? I know how long you’ve been waiting for this?”

“The mountains can wait. They aren’t going anywhere,” he grinned at her and scooped up the wolf pup who had started tugging on his shoe lace. “This guy wants a cuddle. I hear you are pretty good at those.” He handed the pup to her.

She blushed, and gave the little guy a squeeze. “You’re not so bad yourself, Cap. Even with that thing on your face.”

“You love the beard,” he teased.

“I’m afraid that these guys are going to think you are one of them soon,” she teased back. He just laughed. They both knew the truth.


	14. What if I told you a secret?

“What if I told you a secret?”

“You secretly love grape soda, but won’t admit it because you know I won’t share?” She asked. They were once again on the little couch after a long afternoon on the slopes and a great meal in the hotel restaurant. He laughed. 

“Not quite…”

“You like wearing women’s underwear, but are afraid the guys will judge you?”

“No…”

“You missed me while I was away?”

“Sure, but I told you as much.”

“Yeah, but it’s still nice to hear.”

“I missed you while you were gone,” he said sincerely, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close.

“I missed you too.”

“I know,” he smirked. She punched his arm lightly.

“Let’s see… if it’s not the grape soda thing, and it’s not the underwear thing… I don’t know, but whatever you want to say I’ll listen. I will always be here to listen.”

Mike took a deep breath, and then another. “My agent called while you were in the shower eariler. I got another offer to play for the Braves.” 

She tensed, but then forced herself to relax. “Do you think you’ll go?”

“Nothing really changed. All the reason to go or stay are the same…”

“And yet?”

“And yet, it feels different. It feels like, I don’t know. You were gone a week, and I missed you like hell. Living in Atlanta, even if it were just during the season, would just be… hard.”

"I might get traded, or sent down," she offered, knowing with her injury it was a real possibility. 

"You might." He admitted. "But I don't think you will."

“You’re thinking about it?” 

“Of course I’m thinking about it. Baseball is my life.”

“And the Padre’s are your family. That’s what you said.”

“I say a lot of things.”

“Mike...”

“I know. Nothing is even real. It's just talk. I just didn’t want it to come out later and you not hear it from me.”

“Well, thank you for telling me.”

“If it gets real, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Ok.”

“You’re really not going to weigh in? You? The most opinionated person on the planet? The person who lectured me this morning about picking the sausage instead of bacon with breakfast?”

“That stuff is different. This is your life! I can’t tell you what’s right. You have to figure that out for yourself. I’ll be there for you either way, unless you are playing the Padre’s. Then be prepared for me to strike you out.”

“You can try.” He laughed. 

“Can I tell you a secret?” She asked, suddenly chewing her thumb. He nodded. “I really don’t want to sleep in my bed tonight.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is this going to become a thing with you, Baker? Because you practically already live at my place during the day. I’m going to need a bigger bed if you start staying the night.”

“No, I think it’s just here, tonight, you know?”

“Ok, so long as it’s just for tonight,” he sighed, trying to hide his disappointment. 

“Ready for bed?”

Just like that, the disappointment disappeared. They got tucked into the covers, much as they had been on the couch. His arm was around her. Her head was tucked into his chest. 

“Goodnight, Mike.” 

“Night, Ginny.”

“Thanks again for telling me.”

“No problem, that’s what… friends do."


	15. What if I wanted to meet my dad?

“What if I wanted to meet my dad?”

“I thought you had?” Ginny answered, scrubbing her hand over her face and checking the time on her phone. 

“I mean, again. I haven’t talked to him since I was 10.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“He didn’t show up when you made it on the Padres?”

“Ginny,”

“Yeah, right, sorry, its two am. My brain isn’t working right I guess.”

“Sorry, we can talk later.”

“No, no, it’s fine. Why now though?”

“I don’t know? I’ve tried before. I’ve driven to his house probably twice a year for the last 15 years, but I just couldn’t bring myself to knock.”

“That’s a little creepy.”

“I know.”

“Ok, so you want a wingman?” 

“No, … maybe… I don’t know. Do you think I’m crazy? If he wanted to know me, he would have tried to find me, but he never did. It’s not like it was hard.”

“Maybe it was for him? Maybe he has been driving to your house forever too?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then, why now?”

“I don’t…”

“Don’t say I don’t know. Think about it. Why now?”

“It’s going to sound stupid…”

“It won’t.”

“You promise not to laugh?”

“Promise.”

“I think I want to know what’s wrong with me.”

“What?”

“I just think… Rachel said I just bring everyone into my crap, and I just… he didn’t want me, and she didn’t want me, and I guess, I just want to know why not? What’s so wrong with me?”

“Mike, nothing is wrong with you. You are great. Rachel doesn’t know what she’s talking about. And as for your dad, not choosing you, well that was his loss.”

“You really think so?”

“You are my best friend. I know so.”

“What if I just want to ring the door bell so I can punch him in the face?”

“Line forms behind me, Pal.”

Mike laughed. He never went back to his dad’s house. He didn’t need to.


	16. What if you get tired of this couch?

“What if you get tired of this couch?” He asked. They were an hour out of San Diego at an antique store she had read about online. 

“Mike, this is the one. We’ve been to 6 furniture stores and this is the first one I actually liked. Why are you not on board? Are you afraid you’re going to throw your back out loading it into the truck? Cause we can get people to do it?”

“Haha, I just mean you like it now, but what about in six months? Will you like it then?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well, It’s old, for one. It’s already falling apart in some places.”

“We can fix that. Plus, I like it. Its worn and comfy.”

“Your friends might not like it. It doesn’t really go with any of your other furniture.”

“You are the only person how comes to my place. Are you really worried about it not matching the end tables that came with the apparent and look like an ikea nightmare.” 

“It’s just big decision.”

“I know, which is why I didn’t pick the first one I sat on.”

“I turned down the offer from the Braves,” he commented brushing some dust from a nearby lamp. Ginny blinked.

“Ok, how do you feel about that?”

“Weird, and good. Good weird, weird good.”

“Ok… what does this have to do with the couch?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to tell you… that you’re, you know, stuck with me. So, if you buy this couch, I might be over a lot because it’s so comfy.”

“Oh, good. I’m glad. That’s why I was getting a new couch.”

“It is?”

“Yeah, every time you come over, you complain about the one I have now. It’s all stiff and uncomfortable and new age. It’s supposed to be really cool, but honestly, I hate it too.” 

“Oh, well good then. Want me to go get the salesperson? Bet I can talk him down on the price a little.”

“Sure, sounds great.” Ginny grinned.


	17. What if it had been me?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, this was a little tough to write. It talks about the accident and panic attacks.

It was the first day on spring training. She was in the hotel room next to his. He had heard something coming from her room, and was about to investigate, when his phone rang. 

“What if it had been me?” Ginny gasped. 

“Hey, deep breath. Are you ok?” 

“I…” she wheezed.

“I’m coming,” he was already hopping out of bed and pulling on pants. 

“D…d… don’t hang up.” She stuttered.

“I won’t, I promise.”

She was clutching the door when he got there. 

“Panic attack?”

She nodded frantically. 

“Ok, alright,” he wrapped arm around her and led her to the bed. “It’s all alright, Gin.” He ran a hand up and down her back. “Just breath with me.” He took an exaggerated breath. “Can you tell me what happened?”

She shook her head.

“That’s ok. I gotcha. Just keep breathing.” 

“I just need a minute.”

“Ok, can I check your pulse?” 

She nodded and took another breath. “I’m gonna pass out.”

“You’re not. You’re doing fine just keep breathing. I’m here with you.”

“I couldn’t get the slider today.”

“You were just nervous. It’s your first day back.”

“But what about batting practice?”

“You were as good as you’ve ever been. You’re doing fine, I promise.”

“They’re gonna send me back down.”

“That wasn’t even on their mind.”

“What?”

“I had a meeting with Al after practice. You are the least of their worries.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Why wasn’t it me?”

“That they were worried about?” He asked, confused by the question.

“No, why did I get to live and he didn’t?”

His heart sank. “I don’t know, Gin.”

“If I hadn’t been distracting him…”

“No, it wasn’t your fault.”

“It was, though. I was dancing and singing and distracting him and he died, Mike. I killed him.” She was rocking violently the more she talked. He could tell she was slipping into the memory. Probably the worst night of her life. Tears were streaming down her face. 

“You didn’t, Ginny. Come back to me. It wasn’t your fault.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do. So do you. He was killed by a drunk driver. It wasn’t you.”

“It isn’t fair. It should have been me.” 

“No, it isn’t fair, but he loved you, Babe. He wouldn’t have wanted it to be you. He wanted this for you. He wanted you to live. He wanted you to have an amazing life.”

“What if I fail? What if I’m not good enough?”

“You won’t. You’re here, and you’re amazing. Everyone loves you.”

“Did you just call me Babe?”

Mike blushed. “It was a slip of the tongue.”

“Ok…” 

“How are you feeling now?”

“Ok. Silly, I guess. I had a dream, and it was just… I was there again, and he was... he’s gone.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. You should be sleeping not worrying about me.”

“There is no place I’d rather be. You can call me anytime.”

“I think it’s just my first spring training.”

“It’s scary. I remember. All of us together again after the break. The pressure. Everyone is freaking out.”

“Livan was puking earlier.”

“What?”

“His room is on the other side. I could hear him on the phone with his girlfriend, and then later I could hear him throwing up.”

“Lovely.”

Ginny wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, I am already looking forward to getting back home.”

“Can I check your pulse again?”

“Sure.” 

He put his fingers to her neck and counted.

“How is it?”

“Better. You had a whole heard of wild horses running through there a minute ago. Now, you are back to a canter.”

“I didn’t know you were a cowboy.”

“I took lessons for a minute. We were living in Barstow. My mom was working at this historical recreation place. The owner let me ride and play one of the extras in the big shot out sometimes.”

“That sounds cool.”

“It was, but then we moved on. We were always moving.”

“I’m sorry,” she sighed, as she leaned her head against his chest. 

“It was ok. Kinda prepped me for traveling all the time.”

Ginny smiled, and then yawned. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re tired. I’ll go.” He started to pull away, but her hand shot out to grab his. “Ginny?”

“Could you just…” she squeezed his hand.

“For a minute,” he agreed, moving to lay down. He knew what she needed, even if she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She tucked herself into him like as had all the other times. 

“Thanks.”

“Anytime.”


	18. What if I retired?

“What if I retired?”

“Are you serious?” She asked. They had just finished their morning workout, and were headed to breakfast. She was half sure he was just going to complain about how hard she worked. Then with one word, everything changed. 

“Yes.” There was no teasing tone. Not a twinkle was flickering in his eye. 

“You’re serious?” She asked again. 

“Yes.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m not saying I expect anything or anything. I was just trying to tell you what’s going on in my head.”

“But, that’s not how this goes. You can’t just… I mean yeah, we talk about stuff like this, but not like this. Not like straightforward, no wiggle room, real talk.”

“You need wiggle room?” 

She fidgeted with the sleeve of her warm up. “I don’t know, Lawson. You just caught me off guard. I thought this was years down the line.”

“So did I.”

“Did something happen?” She grabbed his arms, stopping in front of him, suddenly searching for injuries.

He shook her off for once. “I’m fine. I mean, nothing new. Just the same bad back and bad knees and… everything else.”

“So, what changed?”

“Nothing.”

“Something.”

“Ginny, do you want to be straightforward or are we still doing the other thing?”

She honestly thought about it for a minute. “Straightforward, I guess.”

“You.”

“Me?”

“You. I’ve been throwing myself into this team and this life for 15 years. I’ve already lost so much, and I don’t want to add you to the list.”

“You’re not going to lose me.”

“You say that now, but you don’t date ballplayers, and I just know someone is going to come along an sweep you off of your feet, and then what?”

Ginny shook her head. “That is not going to happen.”

“Baker, men literally hold up signs begging you to marry them every game.”

“And yet I spent last night, and every other night this week, hanging out with you.”

“But it won’t always be like this.”

“How do you know?” She grinned teasingly. 

He rolled his eyes and chuckled in exasperation. Then he got serious again. “I just know, ok? I want to be with you. I don’t want to rush you, but I need you to know where I’m at.”

“Ok…”

“You don’t have to say anything…”

“Mike, I want to be with you too.”

“You do?”

“I thought I had made that pretty clear.”

“You didn’t.”

“Maybe you just missed the signs, like you did when you kept running past third yesterday.”

“I didn’t miss the damn sign, he waved me!”

She kept grinning. “Are you sure? Maybe we should get your eyes checked…”

“Maybe while we’re there we can get your mouth checked. It seems to be running a lot lately.”

“Maybe you should check it for me?” She laughed, leaning in. 

Mike immediately stepped back, this wasn’t part of their usual banter. “What?”

Ginny took a step back into his space. “I said, maybe you should check it for me.” Then she leaned in and kissed him. It took him a second to respond, but when he did, he knew this was his last first kiss. 

“What if we just see how this goes for now?” She whispered, when they broke apart for air. 

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Then he kissed her again, because, well, he had waited long enough.


	19. What if we moved in together?

“What if we moved in together?” She asked, as she sat on the little couch in her apartment, his head in her lap. They were watching Top Chef. It was a Thursday night. Mike was blindsided. 

“Ummm…”

“Never mind. Ignore me. I was just thinking.” She mumbled, clearly embarrassed.

“About what?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t say nothing. If you brought it up, it’s something. You just surprised me.”

“I was just thinking, I wish you didn’t have to leave.”

“I don’t.”

“Not right now, but at some point.”

“I can stay the night, or you could come home with me,” he offered. 

“I know, but…”

“Ginny?” He sat up and really looked at her. “You’re serious.”

She balked. “No, it’s the wine. I’m talking nonsense.” She forced a laugh and stood up to clear the takeout of the coffee table. He grabbed her hand. 

“It’s not nonsense. I love you. Of course, I want to live with you. I hate going home without you. I was just worried it was all too soon.”

“You love me?” She sounded honestly surprised. 

“Of course, did you not know?”

“I… I don’t know. You never said.” She shrugged. 

“You never said either,” he pointed out.

“Uh, yeah, because I’ve been in love with you for…” she stoped mid-sentence and tried to pull away again. 

“Wait, I think I want to hear this. You’ve been in love with me since when?”

She looked down. 

“Ginny?” He almost begged. 

“Since Thanksgiving,” she sighed. “or, I don’t know, maybe before even then. I just remember you being in the kitchen singing.”

“I don’t sing.”

“You do, when you’re cooking. Anyway, you were singing, and I was chopping celery for the stuffing and I just looked over, and I knew.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t think you’d believe me.”

“Really?”

“We hadn’t even kissed yet. You would have said it was an idol crush. I didn’t want to feel stupid.”

He pulled her into his arms. “You want to know when I knew?”

She nodded into his chest.

“I was walking through this neighborhood, in a bra and skirt, and I looked up and this girl dressed like Han Solo handed me a mars bar, because she knew it was my favorite, and I knew. I knew then that I loved you, because how in the hell else would that be one of the best days of my life?”

Ginny blinked back tears. “You made a really good Leia.”

“Damn right I did!” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Now, when do I move my stuff in?” He asked, flopping back onto the couch. 

“Um, what?”

“What, what? I assumed I was moving in here. You did invite me to move in with you…”

She just stared at him blinking for a good minute. Finally, he burst out laughing. She threw herself into his lap and punched his arm. “You, are not funny.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Baker.”


	20. What if I don’t want to go out tonight?

“What if I don’t want to go out tonight?” He growled. 

“Then, don’t go Mike, but I’m going. Livan and I made plans. You can come or not.”

“So, that’s how it is?”

“That’s how what is?”

“Livan asks you and you’re going.”

“No, but I’ve haven’t gone out with the guys in a while. I want to go. I’m going.”

“And the fact that Livan’s lady dumped his ass has nothing to do with it?”

“You want to watch what you say to me right now, Lawson.” She snapped dangerously. 

“Do I?” He challenged, moving into her space. 

She just stepped closer. “Yeah, you do, because I love you, but I’m not her and I have done nothing to deserve your suspicion.”

He knew it. He hated that this was their first big fight. He just knew his issues would destroy them. “Go then.”

“Come with me?” She tried one last time. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. 

“Not tonight, Gin. I can’t.” He sighed, stepping back.

“This doesn’t mean anything. He got dumped and he needs cheering up. He’s my friend.”

“I know.”

“I’ll be home later.”

“I know.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Now, go, you’re going to be late.”

She was almost to the door, when he called. “Have fun. Be safe. Call me if you need a ride.”

“I will!” She shouted over her shoulder. 

The door shut and he went back to the living room. He really wanted to have a beer, but he also wanted to be ready when or if she called. So, he sat and watched sports center until he fell asleep in the couch. He dreamed that she had left him. That he had walked into the house to find her half of the closet empty and her cereal missing from the cabinet. He woke to his phone ringing. 

“Gin?” He answered in a blind panic. 

“Lawson! Hey, have I told you that I freaking love you man?” She giggled. 

“You need a ride?” He asked, calming at the sound of her voice. 

“Nah, I caught an Uber, but I lost my keys, and I can’t remember how to work the fancy thing that lests you into the house.” She slurred. 

“Where are you?” He asked walking to the front door and opening it. She must have been leaning against it, because he barely caught her. 

“You found me!” She cheered. “Hey, you smell nice.”

“Thanks, Baker. You smell like tequila.”

“That’s because we drank Tequila!” She laughed. “We danced and we drank tequila and Li-van threw up and then he cried and then I said time to go home to you.”

“And where is Li-van?”

“He is throwing up again. I think on the gate. I told him he could crash in the guest room, because he is REALLY sad. And I wanted to make him feel better, and you make me feel better, so I brought him to you.”

Mike couldn’t help but laugh. She was swaying slightly in his arms. She reeked tequila. She was falling asleep on her feet. She probably wouldn’t remember any of it in the morning, but she came home. And he was his. And she loved him. 

“Come on, Duarte. If you quit puking on my gate, I’ll make you a sandwich,” he called into the darkness. Livan stumbled toward the door. 

“You are so lucky, Mami.” 

“I know,” Ginny grinned and kissed Mike’s cheek.


	21. What if I wanted a dog?

“What if I wanted a dog?” She asked over dinner at this little Italian place they liked. 

Mike choked on his ziti. “Um, I guess we can look into it.”

“You’re home now. Even if you travel with the team now and then, we could leave it with Ev or board it.”

“You’re serious.”

“Yes. We’re settled. We have a house. There’s a yard. I want a dog.”

“Is this about what Rachel said the other day? She was just trying to get under my skin.”

“No, it isn’t about her. I mean, yeah, when she basically said we were just playing house on her show, I wanted to drive to LA and punch her in her beautiful, smug, stupid face, but I was thinking about it before then.”

“Ok…” 

“I’ve actually been thinking about it ever since we went to the zoo in big bear.”

Something clicked. “The wolf pups.”

“They were so cute, but I knew it wasn’t fair with me living in that little apartment. Then we got together, but we were still traveling all the time, and either one of us could be traded. But now all that is settled. You’re retired. I have a contract for at least 5 years...”

“So, you want to get a dog.”

“Yes.”

“Any idea what kind? We talking purse pup or Great Dane here? Because I may have to put some stuff in storage.”

“I was thinking we could look at the shelters. You know lots of good dogs are just waiting for the right home.”

“They don’t always have puppies though.”

“So? I want a dog. One that is potty trained would be a plus in my book.”

“Mine too.” He agreed.

“So, we’ll look tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, it’s Saturday. There’s a shelter by the farmers market. We could swing in there and check it out once your done haggling over squash or whatever.”

Mike’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe you!”

“What?” She asked, the picture of innocence.

“This whole thing was a set up. You set me up.”

“I…”

“Mike, lets go to a nice dinner. Mike, have another glass of wine. Mike, that shirt makes your arms look good. You’ve been buttering me up ALL NIGHT.” 

Ginny chewed her lip, biting back a smirk. “The shirt is nice.”

“I know that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” he shrugged. 

“We can wait. I just got excited.”

“No, we’ll go tomorrow. I actually like the idea, the more I think about it. Just don’t get your hopes up that we find one right away.”

“I won’t.”

“Now, let’s talk names. I refuse to name it after anyone on the team, famous singers, or famous ballplayers.”

They ended up adopting a rescued Rottweiler named Bear. Ginny said it was fate. He ran with Ginny every morning, which made Mike feel better about skipping it. Even if they lived in a gated community, he still worried, but not anymore. Anytime someone new came around Bear was sure to station himself at Ginny’s side. He played fetch when she asked, but mostly was happy to cuddle Ginny, sleep on his giant pillow or chew the pool table legs.


	22. What if I murdered someone?

“What if I murdered someone?” She asked the moment she walked in the door covered in sweat, Bear at her heels.

“Who is it? You know what? Doesn’t matter, I would help you hide the body. I’ve been watching a lot of crime shows these days. I’m pretty sure I have a fool proof plan.” He grinned dangerously, kissing her cheek.

“We’ll address that mildly disturbing revelation in a moment. First, we need to talk about why there are about 100 members of the paparazzi camped in front of Petco.”

“Hey, I wasn’t the one who ran in here threatening to murder someone.”

“I was being hyperbolic!”

“Well, why Is the press camped out?” 

“Someone, I’m not naming names here, but someone started a tweeter war with Drake. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that now, would you?”

“So… we’re covering up MY Murder?” He winced.

“God, would you let that go? No murder, I would just like to know why you are tweeting at all, much less to Drake?”

“Have you heard his new song?”

“No…”

He pulled up YouTube on his phone. ‘Gotta live that club life, gotta get my sh*t right, gonna be going home with Ginny B tonight!’

Ginny smirked and rolled her eyes. 

“Babe!” Mike argued, not really sure what else to say. 

“It’s just a song. You know we only met that one time at the Espys.”

“I know, but…”

“But what?”

“It’s disrespectful.”

“Oh, ok. I’ll call him and get him to delete it off the album.”

“Ginny!” He groaned. 

“It happens, Mike. You’re a public figure and people use you. You know it.”

“I know, but I don’t have to like it.”

“I don’t either, but his video just got a lot more press because of you than it would have gotten otherwise.”

Mike sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. I’m actually kinda pissed about it now too. Just maybe check with me before you defend my honor in the future.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”


	23. What if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?

“What if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you?” Ginny asked as they lay in bed one night. 

“I thought that was what we were doing?” Mike answered, turning on his side to look at her. 

“I mean, what if we were just together.”

“We are. Aren’t we?”

Ginny groaned. “I just mean, everyone wants to know when we are going to get married or I don’t know make it official or whatever. What if we didn’t? What if we just stayed like this forever?”

“You don’t want to get married?” Mike asked, trying to hide his disappointment.

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you never asked. We’ve been together for three years, and we’ve known each other for almost five.”

“I guess we should have talked about it. I just didn’t want to rush you.”

“I just think, with the way things worked out between my parents and you know… your past with Rachel. I just thought you wouldn’t want to. I mean I wanted to let you know that I’m ok with just being what we are.”

“You don’t want to be my wife?”

“I…” she shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Ok, I get what you’re saying about your parents, but it doesn’t always work out like that. Look at Blip and Ev, or her folks, or Al and his wife. I mean I know I wasn’t the best husband the first time around, but I’ll do better.”

“Mike,” she sighed, immediately grabbing his hand. “You would be the greatest husband I could ever hope for. You are already the best partner I’ve ever had. I love you. I just, I don’t think I’m wife material. I’m not good at cooking. I hate cleaning. I just think what we have is good. I don’t want you to think I want more.”

“I love cooking and I don’t care if you never pick up a broom. I love you. I want to be able to say you’re my wife and I want to be able to tell people I’m your husband.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, ok you’ll think about it? Or oh, you don’t want that? Because we can do this forever if that’s what you want. I just want you to be happy.”

“I’m not changing my name.”

“Of course not.”

“And I’m not quitting.”

“Babe, I would never ask you to give up baseball, or anything you love.”

“Ok, then let’s get ma…”

“Wait!” He interrupted, jumping out of bad. 

“For what?” She asked, but he had already run out of the room. She was about to go looking for him, when he came running back in. “What was that about?”

He didn’t answer, just dropped to a knee and opened the ring box she hadn’t noticed. “I want you to know that this isn’t just because you brought it up. I have had this for two years. I wanted to wait until you were ready. I love you, Ginny. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She laughed, tackling him to the ground and kissing him. When they pulled apart, she looked at the ring. It was perfect. A round cut diamond in a recessed setting on a platinum band. “Did you just do all that running so that you wouldn’t have to admit that I proposed to you?” 

“Maybe,” he shrugged. 

She rolled her eyes. “Ok, but I get to pick the date then.”

“Fine by me, Mrs. Baker.”

“You know what, I didn’t think that through. If I hear Mrs. Baker, I’m going to look for my mom. Maybe we’ll hyphenate. Ginny Baker-Lawson, sounds nice.”

“I love it!”


	24. What if I forgot something?

“What if I forgot something?” He asked as they sat in traffic.

“What did you forget?”

“I don’t know, hence the forgetting,” he snapped. 

“You didn’t forget anything. You are going to be great.” She responded calmly. She knew he was just worked up about his new job.

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

“How?”

“Because, Mike. I have watched you coach players for years. You were born to do this.”

“But this is different.”

“Why?”

“They’re college kids.”

“I was young when we met.”

“You still are.”

“Good answer, but seriously, is this just first day jitters, or are you really not sure?”

“Jitters, I think.”

“Ok, when I can hum if that makes you feel better.”

“That makes me go deaf.”

“But you’d stop worrying…” she teased. 

“What if they don’t take me seriously.”

“Mike, you are literally in the Hall of fame. They are going to worship the ground you walk on.”

“And you’ll beat anyone up who’s mean to me?”

“You bet!”

“I love you.”

“I know.”

“Alright, Han. I guess I’m outa here. Drive home safe.”

“I will.” She kissed his cheek as he hopped out of the car. “Hey, don’t forget your lunch!” 

“You packed me a lunch?” He asked, honestly a little concerned.

“I put the lunch i bought for you into a lunch bag.”

“That’s my girl. See you at 5.”


	25. What if I wanted a friend for Bear?

“What if I wanted to a friend for Bear?”

“Like another dog? Honestly, I don’t think your pool table would survive.”

“Like a tiny human friend,” he mumbled as he continued to put groceries away. 

“A baby.”

“Yeah, what if I wanted to have a baby?”

“I think it would be really complicated. I mean, you’ve see the movie Junior. I love you, but you are no Arnold. It would be really rough on you.”

“Ginny.”

“I don’t know. I mean we’ve talked about it before, but it never seemed like the right time.” 

“Maybe there isn’t a right time. Maybe we just figure it out like everything else.” 

“I get it. I just… This is a whole other person.” 

“A tiny person…”

“Yeah, a tiny, helpless, needy person.”

“Miller’s new one isn’t bad.”

“I know, she is adorable, but what if we get a bad one.” 

“A bad one?” He laughed. “Like forked tongue and tail?”

She punched his arm, laughing despite herself. “Like one who cries all the time.”

“You cry all the time and I put up with you.”

“One time! One time I cry at a stupid windex commercial and you never let me forget it. What about you? What about when you watch Rudy?”

“Ok, you got me. We will just be a big house of crying crybabies.”

“It could be ugly.”

He scoffed. “Look at you and me! No way our kid is anything less than a knockout.”

“Ok, but what about school?” 

“We have time. They don’t do that for years.” 

“We would have to give it a people name.”

“No, we are naming it bear junior, boy or girl, doesn’t matter.” 

“You are ridiculous!”

“Babies cost a lot. We might have to skip vacation this year.”

“Ok, I can live with that.” 

“I would have to time it right with the end of the season.”

“Of course.”

“What if I can’t get back?”

“You will.”

“How do you know?”

“You’re a lifer, Baker. I knew as soon as a looked at you.”

“Sooo, want to blow off dinner with Livan and get busy on this little project?”

“Yes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am off on vacation. Maybe more when I get home...


	26. What if I don’t know what I’m doing?

“What if I don’t know what I’m doing?” She asked as she slumped onto the couch next to him.

“I never know what you’re doing,” he shrugged. 

“I mean, I never even babysat as a teenager or anything. I can hang out with Gabe and Marcus but they are basically just smaller people.”

“I think it is a little early to be worrying, Babe. We only agreed to start trying a couple weeks ago. This could take awhile. There will be plenty of time to practice.”

“Or not,” she mumbled, tucking herself closer to him.

“Ok, so even if we get pregnant quickly there will still be nine months.”

“Or seven.”

“Babe, I don’t know a lot about babies either, but I know it takes nine months.”

“It does.”

“So we have at least nine months.”

“We did, but now we have seven.”

“I… are you… I mean… are you serious right now?” He asked turning to really look at her.

“I guess my body decided I was ready before the rest of me did,” she shrugged.

“Shit, you’re serious. Seriously?”

She nodded.

“Uh…”

“You do remember like a few weeks ago when you were begging me for a baby, right? You could act a little happy.” She grumbled, trying to pull from his grasp. 

“Are you kidding? I am over the freakin moon, babe!” He pulled her in for a tight hug. “I just, I honestly didn’t think I would ever get this. I mean, you are having my baby. It’s amazing. I never really let myself believe that I would ever have this.”

“Believe it! And quit squeezing me, before I puke on you.”

His grip loosened, but he kept looking at her in awe.

“Mike, I get it. It’s a lot to process, but please tell me you’re not going to be crazy about this.”

“I won’t, I promise, but I gotta go to target and get some of those outlet covers, and some baby gates, and cabinet locks. Actually, now that this is real, maybe we should move. This isn’t the most baby friendly house…”

“Seven months, Mike. We have seven months, plus months were all it can do is cry and poop.”

“I know, but maybe I should start researching baby monitors. The one Miller has is pretty awesome, but I bet I can find a better one.” He jumped off the couch and ran up the stairs. Meanwhile Ginny picked up the bowl of chips he had been eating and settled into the couch. It was going to be a long seven months.


	27. What if I can’t do this?

“What if I can’t do this?” Mike asked when she walked into the nursery of their new house after a meeting with Al, Amelia, and Oscar. Pieces of crib, changing table and swing were scattered around the room. 

“Let me take a look. I’m actually pretty handy if I do say so myself.” 

“I know, but that’s not what I mean.”

“Ok, what did you mean then?” She asked cautiously, as she sat down beside him. 

“I mean, I don’t know how to be a dad. What if I’m terrible at it? What if I leave you? What if I can’t handle it? What if it hates baseball and only wants to have tea parties and go shopping?” 

Ginny’s heart rate shot up at the thought of him leaving her, but she knew he wouldn’t. She knew he just didn’t want to screw this up. “Mike, you are going to be a great dad. You know this kid is going to like baseball, and if it doesn’t then you will just take it to Disneyland for those character dinners you are always dragging me to. If it likes to shop, maybe it will inherit your love of sunglasses. Don’t think I didn’t notice the three new pairs that showed up when we moved. You have read every parenting book and baby book and daddy blog I have ever heard of. You are going to rock this.”

“But what if I can’t?”

“You are not your dad. More importantly, you are not alone. We are a team. You and me. And you know when it comes to you and me we can do anything.”

Mike smirked. “That’s true.”

“And when we need help, we have my teammates, and your team and Al, Amelia and Ev has already volunteered for baby duty. And apparently there is a contest in the clubhouse for godfather. They are running diaper drills, and quizzing on baby care trivia. Weirdly Livan is in the lead. By the way, he asked if it is a girl if we could name it after his sister Novia. Anyway, all this is to say that we have about 182 people lined up to help. We have a huge family and you have me.”

“You are all I need.” 

“So, are we going to get this stuff put together?”

“Yeah, I think opening all the boxes at once was a mistake though.”

“Ya think?”

“Well, I started with the swing, but I got frustrated so I decide the crib would be easier, but it wasn’t and then I moved to the changing table, but I think it is missing pieces.”

“Mike, just hand me the Allen wrench and go order a pizza.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“And bring me a grape soda, please.”

“Of course, anything else?”

“Yes, promise me you won’t open any more boxes without me.”

“You got it!”


	28. What if we named it Orange?

“What if we just named it Orange?” She sighed throwing the baby name book onto the night stand. 

“Orange?”

“Yeah, there’s an Apple, why not an Orange?”

“Orange Blossom Baker Lawson,” he announced, trying it out. 

“Blossom? Seriously?”

“It’s from strawberry shortcake! That’s a classic.”

“No, you ruined it. Orange is off the table.”

“Well you can’t rhyme it with anything at least.”

“So?”

“So, kids couldn’t make fun of it,” he explained. 

“Really, we name it Orange and you think because it doesn’t rhyme with anything it will be safe from teasing?”

“You were the one who brought up Orange. I’m still voting for Ginny jr.”

“Let it go old man! I am not naming this baby after me. I am not a Gilmore Girl. And what is it with you and the Gilmore Girls anyway?”

“It’s sweet. You know the way life was supposed to be. Small town. Everyone knows your name. Silly fights over Christmas lights but in the end everyone works together when the chips are down.”

Ginny sighed, of course that would appeal to Mike. Growing up in a small town, she knew it was not always like that. Not that she would be the one to shatter his delusions. Instead, she just shook it off. “I hate how everyone has an opinion. I can’t pick a name, because every name reminds me of a person.”

“See! That’s why I said no people names,” he teased. 

“I know, but it’s more than that. It seems like I’m trying to make this baby into someone who they aren’t. How the hell am I supposed to pick the thing that defines this person for the rest of their life.”

“Gin, the name doesn’t define it. Your name doesn’t define you. You decide who you are. And when this baby is born, we’ll see it and think of a name and if we don’t, we just call it baby until it is old enough to choose for its self.”

Ginny laughed. “I don’t think we can actually do that.”

“Probably not, but we’ll figure something out. What about Andre or Andrea?”

“Andre?”

“Like Padre, because that’s what brought us together.”

“Oh God, I married a cheeseball!”

“Dang right! And you love it.”


	29. What if we never sleep again?

“What if we never sleep again?” She moaned, dropping onto the bed in a boneless heap. 

“It’s not that bad.”

“I don’t want to hear it from you Mr. I can sleep through a hurricane. I’ve been up 5 times already tonight.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’ll get her next time. I promise.”

“I’m just really tired.” She whispered, biting her lip to keep from crying. 

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll do better.” 

“No, it’s not just you being able to sleep. I can’t stop worrying. I wake up every hour even if she isn’t crying.”

“I think that’s normal, Gin. She’s new and fragile and you want to make sure she’s ok.”

“But I’m so tired. I didn’t know this level of tired was even possible.”

“I know.”

“I just love her so much.”

“Me too.”

“I can’t believe you talked me into Clementine.”

“The person or the name?”

“The name, Lawson! Clementine. Really… I heard you singing it to her earlier. You promised you wouldn’t go overboard with the singing, but I can just tell you’re going to.”

“You don’t name your baby Clementine and not sing her the song, and you are the one who picked the name.”

“I said Orange. Jokingly. You were the one who brought up Clementine.”

“She’s just so little and sweet.”

“I know, she really is, when she’s not crying.”

As if that sentence set her off, the sound of crying echoed out of the baby monitor. Ginny huffed and rolled out of bed. 

“I got it this time. You rest.” Mike insisted. 

Ginny didn’t even protest. A moment later, the opening bars of My Darling Clementine came through the baby monitor. Ginny wanted to yell down the hall, but instead she fell into a deep sleep.


	30. What if I hate Julia?

“What if I hate Julia?” Mike asked, the moment she walked in the door. 

“Julia?”

“From baby group,” he reminded her. “You know the one who’s mom wears that really strong perfume and always leers at me.”

“You used to like it when girls leered at you,” Ginny teased, giving him her best leer and wink.

“That was a long time ago. You know I only like your leering now, and anyway Clem hates that smell. It always makes her sneeze.”

Ginny kissed him. “So, Clem-en-tine (she emphasized the baby’s full name to remind her husband that she did not enjoy his new nickname) is allergic to Julia’s mom’s perfume. Why does this mean we hate a baby?”

“Julia pushed over Clem’s block tower and when it was Clem’s turn to play with the rain stick Julia screamed the whole time. Janice didn’t even try to calm her.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “They are babies, Mike.”

“I still don’t like her.”

“I imagine we won’t like a few of the kids she ends up in class with. My mom hated Jenny Barker.”

“Jenny Barker?” Mike asked, curiously. 

“She was in all my classes growing up. She was a mean girl and people always mixed us up. One time Tanya Simm’s mom yelled at my mom is the grocery store for not inviting Tanya to my birthday party, and my mom had to explain that my birthday wasn’t for another 4 months. Anyway, some kids suck.”

“Our’s doesn’t.”

“True, but our’s is our’s so even when she does, and she will at least a few times, we will have her back and remind her not to knock over people’s towers and crying when it’s not her turn.”

“Damn Right!”

“Now, where’s my baby? Practice was rough and I need Clem cuddles.”

“You called her Clem!” Mike laughed. Ginny just glared at him until he pointed to the nursery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sister has a very common name and there was a girl with the exact same name in her grade. My mom got calls all the time about the other girl and would be like “Not mine!”


	31. What if she is just bad at this?

“What if she is just bad at this?”

“Mike, she is a baby. All baby’s finger painting looks like this.”

“You didn’t see Julia’s.”

“Julia’s mom probably hired someone to paint one for her.”

“Probably, but still. What even is this?” He groaned taping the paper to the fridge.

“Pool!” Clementine cheered from her highchair. 

“Did she just…” Mike stared at his daughter in wonder.

“Yes, she just said her first word, and it was POOL. Come on, Clem. Why would you do that to your mama? We’ve been working on Mama for weeks!”

“Pool!” Clementine cheered again, clapping her hands. 

“This doesn’t even make sense. Mama is easy. Pool! Pool? Pool is not easy. Why Clem?”

“Pool, mama!”

Ginny gasped. “Say it again, Baby!”

“Mama, POOL!”

Ginny grinned. “Ok, baby girl. You got it. Swimming pool here we come.” She removed the tray from the highchair and gave Clementine a tight hug. 

“Hey Clem?” Mike called finally looking away from the blue painting on the fridge.

“Papa?”

Then Ginny really started to cry. Mike squeezed them both, kissing each in turn until Clementine grabbed his beard and tugged hard. 

“Papa, POOL!”

“Sorry Princess, Mama and me got distracted. Let me go grab your suit.” He ran up the stairs.

Soon the whole family was in the pool, splashing and laughing as Clementine repeated her new words. The afternoon was perfect. It wasn’t until they were laying in bed that Mike remembered how it all started. 

“Hey, Gin?”

“Yes?” 

“Julia can’t talk yet, can she?”

“Lord Micheal! Let it go. Our baby girl is great and special, but she is just a baby.”

“I know, but sometimes I worry that I’m going to mess this up. It’s nice to know our girl is the best, you know.”

“I know, it is nice to see her be great at something. Who knows maybe she will be the next Michael Phelps? Just don’t put too much pressure on her doing everything the way other kids do. After all she is one of a kind.”

“Damn Right!” He grinned, rolling over to go to sleep. A minute passed and Ginny was almost asleep when… “Hey, Ginny?”

“Yes?” She groaned. 

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now, go to sleep. Girly is going to be up with the rooster tomorrow and you are on baby duty.”


	32. What if I just made the pies?

“What if I just made the pies?”

“Mike, I got this.” She insisted.

“It’s a lot of work.”

“I know that, but every year you spend two days in the kitchen. It’s my turn. I got this. I promise. Just go watch the game until everyone gets here.”

“Come on, Ginny. Clem is napping and you always help me. The least I can do is peel the potatoes.” 

Ginny pointed the knife she had been slicing vegetables with at him. “Out of the kitchen, Lawson!”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he laughed, raising both hands and taking a step back. 

Ginny had started making dinners more while Mike was working late. She finally felt ready to do a Thanksgiving dinner herself. She had the turkey in the roaster, mac and cheese in the oven, and the rolls were proofing. Everything was going according to her plan. 

Hours later they sat on the couch, Mike rubbing her feet. 

“That was amazing, Babe!”

“Thank you!”

“I mean it. I was a little mad at your mom for not believing you really did it all yourself.”

“I knew she would be like that.”

“I know, but I hate it. Is that why you wouldn’t let me help? You didn’t want her to give me all the credit?”

“I didn’t do it alone for her. I did it alone to prove to myself that I could.”

“Does that mean you’ll let me help next year?”

“Of course, I missed you today,” she sighed shifting to crawl into his lap.

“I missed you, too. I kept thinking about those years I spent alone. It just reminded me of how thankful I am to have you and the girl.”

“You know, I never thought I would have this,” she mumbled thoughtfully. 

“What do you mean?”

“Just… I spent so much time planning my life, and I never thought about this part. I didn’t think I could have both. I didn’t think I could be a ballplayer and a wife, not to mention mom.”

“Well, you are doing a wonderful job.”

“Thank you, but sometimes I’m not so sure. The other day I got to Petco and realized I had left Clem’s Turkey project at home and I couldn’t make it to practice and get it there for show and share time. I felt so bad. My mom was there for every little thing and sometimes I wonder if Clementine ever wishes I was like Julia’s mom.”

“You know she hates Janice,” Mike reminded her.

“I know, but she never forgets anything and she reads to the class every Friday and she makes Julia those perfect little lunches with the peeled grapes…”

“She pays someone to make those little lunches.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I heard her bitching to one of the other parents because her husband forgot to grab them on the way home and she actually had to make it once, and then Julia refused to eat and Clem shared her lunch instead.”

“She did?” Ginny asked, proud of her daughter’s kindness.

“Oh yeah, Julia loved the goldfish and you always pack her enough food for an army, so it worked out.”

“I guess, but I still felt bad about the Turkey.” 

“I know. That’s why you have me, and I have an assistant coach who ran over here got it, and got it to the school on time.”

“Is that what happened? I thought you had to leave work.”

“Na, Jerry had some errands to run, so I had him stop by. He actually got roped into reading to the class. They all loved his princess voice. It was kind of hilarious from what I heard from Mrs. Linton.” 

Ginny laughed picturing her husband’s very serious assistant coach being mobbed by a gaggle of three year olds. Maybe she wasn’t the perfect mom, but maybe there was no such thing. At least she had a great partner to lean on. 

“Hey, Mike?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”


	33. What if we just moved to a deserted island?

“What if we just moved to a deserted island?” She asked slumping next to him on the couch.

“Rough day?” He asked, already pulling her shoes off and starting to massage her feet. 

“You could say that.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it…”

“Ok, so any particular island in mind?”

She shrugged. “Some place warm where we never have to talk to anyone ever again.”

“The commute to take Clem to school would be terrible.”

“We could home school,” she offered almost seriously. 

“Ok, but we would have to airlift in your grape soda and you hate coconuts.”

“We have been over this, a fruit shouldnt be the texture of shoelaces, and it taste like soap.”

“I thought cilantro tasted like soap.”

“It does, but... god, I just want to get away.” 

“Alright, Babe, I’d really like to know what happened now.”

“Noth...”

“And don’t say nothing. Does this have something to do with the new pitcher they called up?”

She snorted. “Oh no, not Sean O’Connor. He is god’s gift to pitching, and women, and, you know, the world!”

“Did he say something? I could kick his ass.”

“I could kick his ass, Michael. It isn’t about that.”

“Then what is it about?”

“I just thought we were past this.”

“This?”

“I don’t know. I mean people have gotten used to me. The ‘Ginsanity’ is over. I thought, stupidly, that I was finally in a place where I didn’t have to justify myself.”

“You don’t. Just tell me what he said.”

“It isn’t about what he said. I’ve heard worse. It was about the fact that he thought he could say it. He thought he could come into my clubhouse and question my worth and that my team wouldn’t have my back.”

“Did they?” He asked, only slightly nervous.

“Of course they did. They tore him so many new assholes he may never sit again, but the principle of the matter holds.”

“He thought he could,” he sighed. 

“There are five women in MLB now, and 3 in NHL and 4 in the NBA. How is this still happening? How can people still think this is ok?”

“I don’t know.”

“What if it never gets better? What if everything I put up with and everything I fought for doesn’t mean anything?”

“You know it does. Those girls are where they are because of you.”

“They are there because they have the talent and drive and skill to be there.”

“I know, but you let them know they could do it. They didn’t have to give up their dreams.”

“What if Clementine wants to be in the NFL?”

“She’s got the tackling down,” he joked. 

“I’m serious. I hate the idea of her having to put up with what I did.”

“Me too.”

“So, let’s just leave. Let’s just start our own world where no one can tell her who to be or what she can do.” 

“Ok.”

“Seriously?”

“Sure, I am a grumpy old man. If I have my girls that’s all I need. Let’s go.”

Ginny sighed heavily. “You are supposed to be reasonable and make me realize that this game is still worth fighting for.”

“Why? You seem to be doing that all on your own, and I would love nothing more than to have more time just you and me.”

Ginny groaned. 

“Maybe we should take a break. We’ve both been working a lot and you have a break coming. Let’s just get away for a bit.”

“Not yet.”

“Ginny,” he whined. 

“Not yet, I gotta school a rookie first.”

“Damn right!”


	34. What if he’s just using you?

“What if he’s just using you?” Mike asked carefully.

“Mike, he’s my brother. What am I supposed to do?”

“I know, but we’ve been through this before.”

“I don’t want to fight with you.”

“I don’t either, but I’ve been there…”

“My brother is not your mother. Will was there for me when no one else was. He just gets in over his head sometimes.”

“He’s been in over his head three times in the last five years, Gin.”

She glared at him. 

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“He would never hurt me.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t intentionally hurt you, but he has. Remember when he missed the wedding because he just had to meet with investors, but you found out he was in rehab.”

“He got help.”

“He missed Clementine’s first birthday because he was in the hospital after getting beaten up by his bookie.”

“I’m not saying he’s perfect, but this time it’s different.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to be an Auntie.”

“What?”

“That girl he was talking about at Thanksgiving? She’s pregnant. I’m going to be an Auntie, and Will needs this to go well. He knows what is like to have a dad you can count on and he wants to be one.”

“Ok.”

“Just like that?” She asked, clearly surprised.   
“Yeah, just like that. It was always your choice, I just wanted to have your back and make sure you had thought this through.”

“I have. Trina, the girl, is his business partner. They have a good business plan, and even some other investors. I think he could really be good at this.”

“Good, maybe that means he will come around more and give Aunt Ginny time to spoil her new niece or nephew.” 

“Oh, please, we all know who the spoiler is in this family. Just ask Clementine’s pony.”

“You won’t be laughing when she has a gold medals in Jumping and Dressage.”

“Will they sit on the self next to the ones you’ve already claimed for her in gymnastics, ice skating and swimming?”

“What can I say? My baby girl is amazing!”


	35. What if we just hung out and watched tv tonight?

“What if we just hung out and watched tv tonight?” Ginny stood staring into the closet. 

“Seriously?”

“It’s been a long week. This is the first time we’ve had a kid free night in a month.”

“Exactly the reason we should go out,” he snapped as he finished buttoning his shirt. 

“I just want to lay on the couch and eat takeout.”

“We do that all the time.” 

“No, we do bath time and story time and song time and cuddle time and then pass out on the couch two minutes after sitting down.”

Mike just sighed. 

“I know you had this all planned, but I just can’t be ON anymore today. I just got done spending an hour talking to the press about today’s game. You know there will be vultures wherever we go, and I just…”

“I get it. I really do, but we haven’t been out with the guys in forever. You always go out with them on after a game on the road. Is it that you don’t want me around?” 

“God Lawson! What are you even… I can’t…” she took a deep breath. “No, it is not that I don’t want you around. I go out on the road because there is nothing else to do but sit in my sad, empty hotel room and miss you and Clementine. I want to stay home With You. If anything, that should prove that I want you around.”

“Just not in the club? Because I don’t dance like Livan? Because I don’t drink like Sonny? Because I’m not young like Johnson?”

“Because I want to talk to you and actually hear what you say. Because I don’t want to watch ‘fans’ throw themselves at you all night. Because I want to relax, like I said, not put on a show for the world.” She couldn’t hide her irritation anymore. Instead she just sat on the bed and looked at him. 

“Well, I’m going out,” he announced, barely even taking his eyes off the mirror.

“Fine, have a great time and call if you need a ride.” With nothing left to say, she went to order take out and binge watch a new show netflix had just put out. 

She was asleep on the couch when her phone rang.

“Gin-ny!” Mike called in what she knew was supposed to be a Forest Gump impression, but just sounded like a loud drunken mumbled. 

“Lawson?”

“I’m lost.”

Her heart rate sped up. “Ok, who’s with you? What’s around?”

“I don’t know the kid’s name. All my guys headed home early. This kid, you know the red head? Anyway he said he knew a place we could go, but now I don’t see him anywhere and I don’t know where I am.”

“Check the map on your phone.”

“I lost my phone,” he whined.

“Look in your hand.”

“Babe! You found it!”

“Yeah, now check the map and see where you are.”

“How the hell did I get to Encinitas?”

“I would imagine a car. Hopefully not one you drove.” 

“No, we took a party bus.”

“Of course you did. Give me the address and I’ll come get you.” 

Forty five minutes later she pulled up to warehouse in Encinitas. Mike was leaning against the wall.

“Hey old man, you looking for a ride?” She called. His head popped up, a look of relief washing over him.

“I’m sorry,” he said as soon as he got in the car.

“Drink this, or you’ll be more sorry tomorrow,” She answered, handing him a bottle of water. 

He drank it quietly for a few minutes. 

“You’re really not going to say anything?”  
“What is there to say?”

“I don’t know? I just expected yelling or something.”

“Why would I yell at you?”

“Because I was an asshole. Because I had to call you at 3 in the morning for a ride.”

She pulled over and grabbed his hand, looking him in the eye. “You never have to feel bad about calling me for a ride. I would never want you to hesitate to call me. You got that?”

“Yes, ma’am, but I am sorry.”

“I know.” She pulled back onto the rode.

“I was an asshole.”

“Not for the first time,”

“Ginny…”

“What?”

“I just wanted it to be like it was before.”

“I know. Sometimes I want that too, but what we have is so much better than that. I mean, I did exactly what I wanted to do tonight. I ate way to much sweet and sour chicken and watched an entire season of bake-off and you know what?”

“What?”

“I just kept thinking how much I missed Clementine.”

“And me?”

“Well, yeah, but that was a little conflicted, because you were being an asshole, so I was mad at you, but I also missed you.”

“Fair enough,”

“The bottom line is that I know sometimes watching other people do stuff we don’t do anymore can suck, but I love our life.”

“Me too.”

“Good.”

“So you’re really not going to yell?”

“Nope, but I will tell you that you are taking Clem to Mommy and Me painting, so I can sleep in.”

“You are…”

“Forgiving and sweet.”

“Yeah, sure we will go with that. You didn’t happen to bring a bottle of aspirin, did you?”

“In the glove compartment.”


End file.
